The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a sabot projectile.
In its more specific aspects, the present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a sabot projectile equipped with a sabot tail or tail portion at which an attachment or fastening sleeve is fastened by means of a reference fracture location. The attachment or fastening sleeve is subdivided into segments by slots. The sabot projectile possesses a projectile core or body exhibiting a substantially cylindrical intermediate or middle portion, a tapering or substantially conical-shaped tip and a substantially conical tail portion. The projectile core or body projects by means of its rear region or portion into the attachment or fastening sleeve of the sabot tail or tail portion. A sabot jacket is anchored at the sabot tail or tail portion and surrounds the attachment or fastening sleeve and is subdivided by slots into segments.
With such type of prior art sabot projectile, for example, as generally known from Swiss Pat. No. 536,481, the projectile body or core exhibits a circumferential groove at its rear portion which projects into the attachment or fastening sleeve. Cams or dogs provided at the inside of the attachment or fastening sleeve and which are radially inwardly directed, are arranged so as to protrude into the circumferential groove. These cams or dogs are formed of one piece or integrally with the attachment or fastening sleeve.
The circumferential groove provided in this known projectile body or core is disadvantageous since it increases the air resistance in an undesired manner.
With another known construction of sabot projectile of this type, as disclosed in British Pat. No. 576,217, the sabot comprises two portions which are connected with each other across a reference fracture location. Both of these two portions can be shifted or displaced relative to each other under the action of inertial forces when the projectile is fired. The projectile body or core is supported on the rear portion of the sabot and the front portion of the sabot bears or rests against the tip of the projectile body and consists of segments which fall apart and release the projectile core or body when the sabot leaves the weapon barrel muzzle.
This other known construction of sabot projectile has the disadvantage that the sabot tail must either be constructed in two parts or portions so that the projectile core or body can be fastened in the sabot tail or the sabot jacket must be used for fastening the projectile core or body at the sabot tail.